Homeland Security Monitor - October 2013

U.S. law enforcement professionals traveled to Israel earlier this month to learn from Israeli security officials about counterterrorism methods, The Times of Israel reported. The delegation, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), enabled participants to “draw from the latest developments in terrorism prevention and bring these methods back home to implement in their communities,” said Tammy Gillies, the ADL’s regional director in San Diego, in a statement.

Israel played a significant role in helping Kenyan forces respond to the recent terrorist attack at a Nairobi shopping mall, The Guardian reported. Yamam, an Israeli border police unit, assisted Kenyan authorities in developing their negotiating strategy. Yamam was not involved in the ground operation, but is specially trained in civilian hostage rescue operations.

An Israeli security company won an award recently for its Digital Doorman access control program, iHLS reported. FST 21’s program identifies people in-motion using advanced voice and facial recognition software. According to Major General Aharon Farkash, FST 21’s founder and CEO, Digital Doorman has a high accuracy rate and is less intrusive because it does not require any keys or codes.

NICE Systems, an Israeli security company, has paired with another firm to provide Miami International Airport (MIA) with a runway intrusion detection system, Reuters reported. The NICE Situator will help the airport respond faster to unidentified objects on runways. “Safeguarding our passengers is a top priority at MIA, and our work with UNICOM Government and NICE has made the airport a safer and more secure place,” said Ray Davalos, MIA’s building systems manager.